Dr. Falsey loves treating children at Bayberry Dental Care and has experience handling all sorts of issues that come up for her youngest patients. Often, first-time parents are unsure of whether their child’s thumb-sucking is a bad habit or something which could hurt them, so we wanted to provide some information.
Thumb-sucking is a normal behavior in children under three, but it will cause major problems if it persists past that age. This is equally true of sucking on a pacifier or thrusting the tongue forward against the teeth (simply holding something in the mouth isn’t as damaging to the facial bones, but may have other negative health or social consequences).
If it continues while the permanent teeth are coming in, thumb sucking could cause misaligned teeth, misaligned jaws, and changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth. Therefore, it is important to address whatever anxiety is motivating a child to continue thumb-sucking after it is no longer normal. There are devices which can be used to discourage thumb-sucking, but it’s usually best to include the child in looking for a solution, first.
Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit BayberryDentalCare.com and fill out a contact sheet.
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